Here is my 2008 Sportsternightsterster. ster.
I made the luggage rack by welding up some basic mild steel from the hardware store. I can fit my top case and soft tail bag on top of it, good enough that I don't really need saddle bags.
The fog lights are mounted on a totally stylish piece of angle iron, which in turn is mounted to the forks with some even more stylish exhaust clamps.
I put some more foam in the seat to ease the butt pains, but it still kinda sucks.
Otherwise, it's just stock and is basically like new.
In the future, I will surely be changing out the rear shocks with something with more than 1" of travel, and some more ride height so I can actually go around turns without coming to a complete stop.
A better seat, slightly lower/narrower handlebars, and highway pegs would make it all right.

Because every time they get remotely close to this with a production bike the sales numbers do not meet expectations. They will generally do a 3-4 year run then discontinue it.

People in mags and on forums say how they would buy if... Then they are nowhere to be found when it is produced.

Oh, IDK...

I think that many people that say they would buy this bike would. Trouble is, we are still a very small minority when it comes to total sales figures for a company like the MoCo. While I LOVE it, it just doesn't have the mass market appeal in an industry that is steeped in "tradition" and fashion.

But, just looking at it, it doesn't appear to be something that would be too difficult to replicate.... Pick up a used Nightster, or similar... Chop off the fender struts and weld a frame loop on, add a fender, custom build a seat pan and get it upholstered, lace 17" aluminum rims to the stock hubs, longer shocks, rearsets, tank, and some misc. tidbits here and there. And judging from the angle of the lower frame rails I'd say they didn't do much, if anything to the front end other than the rim and fender. They even retained the stock brakes on this one. Be a nice winter project and I would think that a reasonable facsimile could be built for substantially less than it would sell for if the MoCo produced it.

Hmmmm.... those pics are going in my "inspiration folder" for sure!

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"some might call it a 'midlife crisis', I prefer to call it a renaissance of thought and action"... "Life is too short to do anything other than that about which you are absolutely passionate."..."Adventure is a frame of mind, set upon by action, not defined by equipment."..."It all boils down to your ability to say "SCREW IT" and really mean it"....Randy

Because every time they get remotely close to this with a production bike the sales numbers do not meet expectations. They will generally do a 3-4 year run then discontinue it.

People in mags and on forums say how they would buy if... Then they are nowhere to be found when it is produced.

I recall the latest XR1200 debacle but a pure standard base bike could be in the $8k range, not compete with 13k bikes. Eh, who am I kidding? Every one I wanted to like was just too heavy and expensive or cobbled together. The 883R was one I tried to like till I sat on it.

just looking at it, it doesn't appear to be something that would be too difficult to replicate.... Pick up a used Nightster, or similar... Chop off the fender struts and weld a frame loop on, add a fender, custom build a seat pan and get it upholstered, lace 17" aluminum rims to the stock hubs, longer shocks, rearsets, tank, and some misc. tidbits here and there. And judging from the angle of the lower frame rails I'd say they didn't do much, if anything to the front end other than the rim and fender. They even retained the stock brakes on this one. Be a nice winter project and I would think that a reasonable facsimile could be built for substantially less than it would sell for if the MoCo produced it.

Not sure if it's exactly the same or not, but there are several tank options available that could be used for a similar build.

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"some might call it a 'midlife crisis', I prefer to call it a renaissance of thought and action"... "Life is too short to do anything other than that about which you are absolutely passionate."..."Adventure is a frame of mind, set upon by action, not defined by equipment."..."It all boils down to your ability to say "SCREW IT" and really mean it"....Randy

Never tried one but from what I read, if you want comfort, and don't care quite so much about the looks, a Mustang seat is what you might want to look into.

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"some might call it a 'midlife crisis', I prefer to call it a renaissance of thought and action"... "Life is too short to do anything other than that about which you are absolutely passionate."..."Adventure is a frame of mind, set upon by action, not defined by equipment."..."It all boils down to your ability to say "SCREW IT" and really mean it"....Randy